Wooden column.



No. 657,836. Patented, sebt. n; I900. A. F. SCHWERD & A. w. EMRICK.

WOODEN COLUMN.

Urn STATES ALBERT F. SOI HVERD AND ASA "W. EMRICK, OF ALLEGI'IENY,PENNSYLVANIA.

WOODEN COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,836, datedSeptember 11, 1900.

Application filed May 8, 1899- Serial No. 715,968. ililo nnniei.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT F. SOHWERD and ASA W. EMRIOK, citizens ofthe United States of America, residing at Allegheny, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Columns, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in woodencolumns, and has for its object to construct such columns of separatestrips or sections which are locked together by means of interlockingjoints.

The invention specifically relates to the shaft of the column, each ofthe strips or sections from which the said shaft is formed beingprovided at their one engaging face with a tongue and on their otherengaging face with a groove to receive the tongue of the adjoining stripor section. These tongues project outwardly at an incline and thegrooves are similarly shaped in order that when the tongues are inengagement with the grooves the sections will be practically wedged together in a manner which will prevent the destruction of the columneither by interior or exterior pressure upon the same.

It is a further object of our invention to construct a column-shaftwhich will be ap plicable in general to all of the orders ofarchitecture known as Grecian-Doric, Roman- Doric, Corinthian, Ionic,and Doric.

In the construction of our columns we may provide the shaft thereof witha smooth exterior surface or we may provide each of the strips orsections from which the shaft is formed with exterior moldings or beadsof any suitable configuration and which are adapted to overlap theadjoining strip or section, so as to conceal the joint. l/Ve also flutethe exterior of the columns in some constructions in order to obtain thedesired effect on the exterior of the column-shaft, and in any of theseconstructions the manner of interlocking the sections together isidentical.

Another of the main objects of our invention is to obtain a much lightercolumn than is ordinarily employed, which is accomplished I I l byconstructing the columns of a series of strips or sections which wheninterlocked together are rigidly held. By constructing the columns of athinner material the cost of the same is also materially decreased.

\Vith the above and other objects in view our invention further consistsin the novel construction and arrangement,as will be hereinafter morespecifically described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This invention should be considered in connection with an applicationfiled by us May 10, 1897, Serial No. 635,969,and is an improvementthereon.

In describing the invention in detail refer ence is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, whereinlike numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improvedcolumn, the sections or strips being provided with exterior beads ormoldings. Fig. 2 is a like view of a column constructed with a plainexterior. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the shaft of thecolumn shown in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a like view of the shaft of thecolumn shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a formof half-column, showing the application of the strips or sections.

In describing the invention in detail, reference being had to thedrawings, the numeral 1 indicates the vertical strips of which thecolumn is constructed. Each of the strips has on its one engaging face,and preferably placed closer to the inner than to the outer face of thestrip, an inclined tongue 2, the inclination of which is toward theexterior surface of the column-shaft. The strips are also provided ontheir other engaging face with an inclined groove 3, corresponding insize and shape to the tongues 2, and which is adapted to receive thetongue of the adjoining section or strip. The construction of thetongues 2 at the inclination shown causes these tongues to act as wedgeswhen the strips or sections are interlocked together and to prevent anyone of the strips or sections from being forced out of its position byeither outward or inward pressure upon the same.

In Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings we show the strips or sections 1tongued or grooved in the same manner above described and provided ontheir exterior face with a half-round s'nsae bead or mold 4, whichoverlaps some distance upon the exterior surface of the next section andconceals the joint between the two sections.

The manner of assembling the strips or sections 1 to form thecolumn-shaft, this assembling being done as desired or convenient eitherat the factory or place of using, is as follows: The tongues andsections, and also the engaging faces of the strips or sections, ifdesired, are covered with glue or other adhesive substance and thetongue 2 of the one section is inserted in the groove 3 of the adjoiningsection, this arrangement being continued until but one strip or sectionis lacking to complete the column. Where the column-shaft is of an equaldiameter from end to end, this remaining strip or section may beinserted from either end of the shaft; but where the shaft is slightlytapered the remaining strip or section must be inserted into positionfrom the larger end of the shaft and serves to firmly interlock and holdthe strips or sections together.

In some cases the glue or other adhesive material employed may beomitted and the locking-joint employed to hold the strips or sectionstogether. In general, however, We have found that it is preferable toemploy the glue in connection with the locking-joint, as it serves torender the joint more tight and impervious to the weather.

In the drawings we have shown both forms of column mounted upon astylobate or pedestal 5 and provided with a capital 6, the latter beingof that order known as Corinthian. These parts, however, form no part ofour invention, which is confined to the construction of thecolumn-shaft.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings we show the application of the sameconstruction for a halfcolumn, 7 indicating the line of the wall. Inthis construction the bead 4 at one side of the column will be separatefrom the strip and will be in the form of a quarter-round strip, whichcan be fastened in position to give the complete finished appearance tothe half-column in any desirable manner.

We are aware of the patent to Beach, No. 211,291, for newel-post, whichshows an octagonal post formed of sections or strips interlockingtogether by means of tongues and grooves, but in this construction thetongue is at direct right angles to the face of the strip, while in ourconstruction this tongue extends outwardly toward the exterior of thecolumn and is at an acute angle to the engaging face of the strip, so asto form a wedge when the strips are locked together.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow wooden columnconsisting of a series of substantially wedge-shaped sections which areinterlocked together, the engaging faces of said sectionsdivergingoutwardly in opposite directions and one of the engaging faces of eachsection provided with an integral tongue of equal thickness throughouthaving both of its side faces extending outwardly on parallel planes atan acute angle to the engaging face with which the tongue is formed, theouter face of said tongue being parallel to the engaging face, the otherengaging face of each section being provided witha groove correspondingin shape to the tongue, the groove of one section being adapted toreceive the tongue of the adjoining section, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow wooden column consisting ofa series of substantially wedge-shaped sections which are interlockedtogether, the engaging faces of said sections diverging outwardlyinopposite directions and one of the engaging faces of each sectionprovided with an integral tongue of equal thickness throughout havingboth of its side faces extending outwardly on parallel planes at anacute angle to the engaging face with which the tongue is formed, theouter face of said tongue being parallel to the engaging face, the otherengaging face of each section being provided with a groove correspondingin shape to the tongue, the groove of one section being adapted toreceive the tongue of the adjoining section, and a bead formed integralwith the outer face of each section at one of its corners, the bead onone section overlapping on the adjoining section to conceal the joint,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT F. SCHWERD. ASA W. EMRICK. Witnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, WILLIAM E. MINOR.

